Method of making pile fabrics



March 5 1957 c. LYLE METHOD OF MAKING PILE FABRICS Original Filed Aug.12, 1,954

United States Patent .METHOD .OF MAKING PILE FABRICS Charles Lyle, BuenaVista, Va., 'assignor to James Lees and Sons 'Company, Bridgeport, Pa.,a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application August 12, 1954,Serial No. 499,427. Divided and this application March 8, 1955, SerIaI'NO. 492,884

6 Claims. (Cl. 139-7) The present invention relates to ,a method ofmaking pile fabrics and more particularly to producing carpetfabrics-exhibiting the flexibility in design which is typical ofAxminster-type fabrics. This application is a .division of my co-pendingapplication Improved rPile .Fabric and Method of Making the Same, Ser.No. .449 .,42-7, fi1ed August 12, '1954, .now abandoned.

Conventional Axminster-type fabrics are characterized by wideflexibility in the design of the pile surface. In such fabrics, it ispossible to use an infinite number of color variations in the pilewithout substantially increasing the cost of the fabric. FiguredWilton-type fabrics, on the other hand, are costly by reason .of thenecessity to float the colored yarns not being used in the body of the.base fabric underneath the upper weft shots. However, in conventionalAxminster-type fabrics, the pile is not as dense as in theWilton-typefabrics since :two upper double weft shots are required foreach 'weftwise row of pile loops. As a result, the conventional.Axminster-type fabric exhibits a tendency to grin and expose the basefabric by reason of the separation of the individual legs of the piletufts. The individual legs of pile :tuft are separated by a double upperweft shot, sinceitisinecessary to tie the pile tufts under a double weftshot.

In Wilton fabrics, on the other hand, it is possible to tie the piletufts :under only a single weft .shot so :th'ata dense pile may beobtained and the possibility of grinning is substantiallyreduced.However, as pointed out above, to obtain -a variation in the pattern byusing different colored pile :yarns, it is necessary to carry thevarious colors of pile yarns in the base of the fabric, raising only thedesired color .of pile yarn out of the base fabric to form atuftorloop.

With the foregoing :in mind, a primary-object of the present inventionis to provide a method of producing a pile fabric wherein pile yarntufts having varying characteristics are tied under individual strandsof double upper weft shots, and wherein a substantial portion of eachpile yarn in the fabric'is disposed in the pile surface, only a veryminor portion being retained in theba'se fabric, i. e., only asuflicient'length of yarn to tie thepile tufts in place.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method ofweaving a pile fabric wherein substantial economy is effected byemploying an Axniinster type lo'om to produce a carpet fabric havingcertain characteristics of the more expensively produced Wilton fabrics.

A further object of the invention is to produce-apile carpet fabrichaving a high (ratio of pile yarn tobacking yarn.

Still another object is .to provide a method-of weaving on anAXminster-type loom wherein substantial economy is effected by insertinga weftwise row of pile tufts for each double upper weftshot.

These and other objectsof the invention and the'various features anddetails of the construction and operation ice thereof aremorefullyssetjforth lhereinafter with reference fto'the accompanyingdrawingin which:

Fig. 1 is a warpwise sectional view of-a Ifabric made .in accordancewith -.the;present.invention; and,

Figs. 2 to 6 are illustrations ofa portion of an Axminster-type loomshowing successive steps .in the formation of afabric made in accordancewith vthe'presentinvention, for example, as shown in Fig. 1.

.The -novel fabric of the present invention is shown in Fig. 1.Thefabric comprises aseries of upper double weft shots 10a, 10b, 10c,etc., .and lower double weft shots 11. The upperand lower double weftshots are bound together .by chain warps .12, 12 respectively 'pass-.ing alternately above and below the upper and lower double weft shots..Astufter warp 13 is provided intermediate the upper and lower weftshots to separate the same and provide :body to the ground fabric.

.In accordance with the invention, pile tufts 15, 16, .17, 18, etc.,.are tied into the base fabric by passing the same shot. Thus, the yarn15 originates at'a;givenzheight above :the base fabric, passes into thebase .fabric between the strands of the upper double weft shot 1911,around one of the individual strands of said upper double weft shot 10a,and up to the level at which the opposite pile leg originated. Likewise,the pile yarn tuft 16 originates at the same level, passes between thestrands of the upper double weft shot 1%, around one of the strandsthereof, and back-up to the aforementioned level. It should be notedthat the various:pile tufts may have differing characteristics,for-example as indicated by the shading thereon, and that it is not:necessaryto float the pile yarns in with the base fabric when they arenot employed to form pile'tufts.

The novel method for forming the fabric described above is illustrateddiagrammatically in Figs. '2 to 6 inclusive. Asshown in the figures, theloom for weaving the fabric is somewhat similar to a conventionalAxminster loom. The loom comprises a breast plate 20 on'whic'h thesubstantially firiishedfabric F is carried to the breastbeam (not shown)for winding up. Spaced rearwardly from the breast plate 20 is aconventional reed 21 having :mounted adjacent thereto a separator finger22 arranged to .operate as more fully set forth hereinafter. Anauxiliary reed 23 is provided to operate from its normal position belowthe breastplate 20 in a-generally circularpath, rearwardly and upwardlytowards the reed 21 and forwardlyto the trailing edge of the breastplate 20, then downwardly to its normal position shown in Fig. 2. Alatch arm 33 is provided to "operate adjacent the fell of the cloth toengage the weft shots. A conventional comb is provided at 24 whichoperates in the usual manner to-wrap the pile tufts 'around the weftshots. If desired the combmay be replaced by a nose board mounted on thebreast plate. The usual cutting knives are provided at 25, '25 to shearthe pile tufts after they are formed in the base fabric. The loom iprovided with harness mechanism (notshown) to form a split shed andupper and lower needles 26 and 27 respectively operate to insert doubleweft shots into the upper and lower istics of the pile yarn inserted inthe fabric.

ates to engage and position an individual strand, in the presentinstance the upper strand of the upper double weft shot, back againstthe reed to separate the same from the other strand of the upperdoubleweft shot.

' At this point in the operation, the auxiliary reed 23 is to theposition shown in Fig. 4 in advance of the dipping '-of the tube frame29 into the shed. At the same time,

the latch arm 33 engages the strands carried by the auxiliary reed tohold the same in place, and if the separator finger 22 is employed, itreleases the separated shot of the double upper weft shot, for example,by a latch memher 31 pivoted to the separator finger as shown in Fig.

4. The separator finger 22 thereupon retracts, leaving the separatedstrand of the double upper weft shot in position in front of the reed21.

The auxiliary reed continues its circular movement until -it resumes itsposition below the breast plate 20, for

example as shown in Fig. 5. The tube frame 29 continues its forwardadvance and is withdrawn to lay the pile yarn P against the strands ofthe weft shots which have been advanced to the fell of the fabric F bythe auxiliary reed 23.

Simultaneously with the advance of the tube frame 29, thereed 21 carriesthe separated weft strand forwardly to a position against the pile yarnP and the latch arm 33 is retracted. The reed 21 engages the separatedstrand against the remaining strand of the double upper weft shot togrip the pile yarn P therebetween. The tube frame 29 thereupon retractsupwardly, simultaneously feeding out sufiicient yarn to form the piletuft,

,for example the tuft 15. At this point in the operation, the comb 24 isactuated to wrap the trailing end of the pile yarn P upwardly around theseparated strand into the upright position indicated at 15 in Fig. 6.The knives 25, 25 are then operated to sever the tuft 15 from the yarn Pand the tube frame 29 is retracted and is returned to its carrier chain(not shown).

During this operation, the chain warps 12, 12 are shedded to reversetheir position and hold the weft shots 10 and 11 in place in the fabric.

Thus, the elements are returned to their original position. The adjacentupper and lower double weft shots are inserted into the shed, and a tubeframe carrying the pile yarn for the pile tuft 16 is picked off thecarrier chain and brought into position for insertion of the pile tuft16 into the fabric.

It should be noted that since the succeeding pile tufts are taken frompile yarns on succeeding tube frames, it is possible to obtain aninfinite variation in the character- Since the pile tufts are tied underonly a single strand of the weft shot, less of the pile yarn is retainedin the base fabric; and the greater part of the yarn is employed to formthe pile surface. It should be further noted that since the upper doubleweft shots and the lower double weft shots are each inserted by anindividual needle, it is possible to form the lower double weft shots ofa different material than that used for forming the upper double. weftshots.

This is advantageous since the lower weft shots must engage against thefloor on which the carpet is placed and are subjected to greaterabrasion than the upper weft shots. Thus, the upper weft shots may berelatively weak and the lower weft shots may be formed of materialexhibiting a great abrasion resistance.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention' has been hereinillustrated and described, it is not intended to limit the invention tosuch disclosures, but changes and modifications may be made therein andthereto within the scope of the following claims. For example, the upperand lower shots need not be inserted simultaneously, whereby the sameneedle may insert both shots in sequence. An additional double weft shotmay be inserted above or below the stufier to form a fabriccorresponding to the conventional three-shot Axminster fabric, or thelower weft shot and stuffer may be omitted to form a fabriccorresponding to a one-shot Axminster fabric.

' I claim:

1. The method of producing a pile carpet fabric comprising the steps offorming upper and lower sheds of base fabric warps, inserting a doubleupper weft shot and a double lower weft shot into the respective shedsand disposing the individual strands of said double upper weft shot invertical alignment, holding the upper strand of said double upper weftshot, displacing said lower double weft shot and the lower strand ofsaid upper double weft shot forwardly to separate said upper double weftshot, inserting a pile yarn into said upper shed intermediate thestrands of said separated upper double weft shot, releasing the upperstrand of said double upper weft shot and bringing the strands of saidseparated upper double weft shot together, and wrapping the insertedpile yarn around the upper strand of said upper double weft shot.

2. The method of producing a pile carpet fabric comprising the steps offorming upper and lower sheds of base fabric warps, inserting a doubleupper weft shot and a weft shot in vertical alignment, displacing theupper strand of said double upper weft shot rearwardly, displacing saidlower double weft shot and the lower strand of said upper double weftshot forwardly to separate said upper double weft shot, inserting a pileyarn into said upper shed intermediate the strands of said separatedupper double weft shot, bringing the strands of said separated upperdouble weft shot together, and wrapping the inserted pile yarn aroundone of the strands of said upper double weft shot.

3. The method of producing a pile carpet fabric comprising the' steps offorming upper and lower sheds of base fabric warps, simultaneouslyinserting a double upper weft shot and a double lower weft shot into therespective sheds and disposing the individual strands of said doubleupper weft shot in vertical alignment, displacing the upper strand ofsaid double upper weft shot rearwardly and holding the same, displacingsaid lower double weft shot and the lower strand of said upper doubleweft shot forwardly to separate said upper double weft shot, inserting apile yarn into said upper shed intermediate the strands of saidseparated upper double weft shot, releasing the upper strand of saiddouble upper weft shot and bringing the strands of said separated upperdouble weft shot together, and wrapping the inserted pile yarn aroundthe upper strand of said upper double weft shot.

4. The method of producing a pile carpet fabric comprising the steps offorming a shed of base fabric warps, inserting a double weft shot intosaid shed and disposing the individual strands of said double weft shotin vertical alignment, holding the upper strand of said double weftshot, displacing the lower strand of said double weft shot forwardly toseparate the same, inserting a pile yarn into said shed intermediate thestrands of said separated dou- -b1e weft shot, releasing the upperstrand of said double weft shot and bringing the strands of saidseparated double weft shot together, and wrapping the inserted pile yarnaround the upper strand of said double weft shot.

5. The method of producing a pile carpet fabric comprising the steps offorming a shed of base fabric warps, inserting a double weft shot intosaid shed and disposing the individual strands of said double weft shotin vertical alignment, displacing the upper strand of said double weftshot rearwardly, displacing the lower strand of said double Weft shotforwardly to separate said double weft shot, inserting a pile yarn intosaid shed intermediate the strands of said separated double weft shot,bringing the strands of said separated double weft shot together, andwrapping the inserted pile yarn around one of the strands of said doubleweft shot.

6. The method of producing a pile carpet fabric comprising the steps offorming a shed of base fabric warps, inserting a double weft shot intosaid shed and disposing the individual strands of said double weft shotin vertical alignment, displacing the upper strand of said double weftshot rearwardly and holding the same, displacing the lower strand ofsaid double weft shot forwardly to separate said weft shot, inserting apile yarn into said shed intermediate the "strands of said separatedweft shot, releasing the upper strand of said double weft shot andbringing the strands of said separated double weft shot together, andwrapping the inserted pile yarn around the upper strand of said doubleweft shot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS631,233 Southwell Aug. 15, 1899 FOREIGN PATENTS 382,943 Great BritainOct. 31, 1932 478,249 Germany June 20, 1929

